deference
respectful submission to another's judgment or wishes
Word origin: From Latin deferre, to carry down or submit.
Deference in a sentence
Here are example sentences showing deference in a sentence.
Out of deference to the elders, the young chief deferred his decision.
Out of deference to the senior researchers, the graduate student withheld her objections until the data were in.
Using “deference” well
Deference is respectful yielding to another's judgment or authority, pairing with respect and submission. Do not confuse it with the homophone difference; the two are unrelated.
More GRE words starting with D
to engage in something superficially or as a casual pastime
a raised platform for speakers or honored guests
to waste time or act without urgency
to make something slightly wet, or to make a feeling or reaction less strong
marked with spots or patches of color or light
to intimidate or discourage with fear or doubt
to move slowly or waste time idly
a scarcity or shortage of something
Questions about “deference”
See these words the way the GRE tests them.
Definitions in isolation do not stick. Sit a free, full-length GRE mock and meet this vocabulary inside real text completion and sentence equivalence questions, with your score and a worked solution for every answer.